Automobile step plate



O. C. RITZ WOLLER AUTOMOBILE STEP PLATE Frled Aug 5, 1927 f@ ai? ff;

Sept. 18, 1928.

Patented sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER C. RITZ WOLLER, F CHICAGO, ILLDTOIS.

AUTOMOBILE STEP PLATE.

Application tiled August 5,*1927. Serial No. 210,740.

My invention relates to automobile step plates 'and has for its object the provision of a unitary structure comprisingr a mat permanently mounted in a suitable metal frame- 6 work, with a. kick plate rising above the mat along the rear edge thereof.

It is one. of the objects of my invention to provide anew and improved form and ar' -l0 eral objects are illustrated in the drawing and are hereinafter s1wcifically-described. i lVliat I believe to. be new and desire to cover by--this application is set 'forth iii the claims.

In the .drawing,- 26 Fig. 1 is 'ajperspective view of my 1mproved stepplate, partly broken away foibetter showing the construction.

Fig. 2 is a vertical eros section through the plate of Fig. 1, being talten on au eri- 0 larged scale'- at line 2-2 of Fig. 1. t l

Fig. 3 isa-perspective vie\v. partly in vertical-section, showing a portion of a plate of modified construction. n

Figa-4 is avertical cross sectional view a5 takeii at line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5- is a vertical lcross -sectional'view through a portion ofl a plate of still another modified construction. y

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 in which .4o one form of my improved device is shown,

1() indicates a frame formed of sheet metal and preferably of soft sheet metal such as aluminum, having an upstanlding portion 1l formed integrally therewith at its rear edge,that is to say, at the edge of the device to be placed adjacent to the body ofan automobile upon the running board of which the device is employed. In the construction shown the upstanding portion 11 of the device is in .the form A'of asolid continuons sheet of nie-tal, while the portion 10 is cut out at its center to receive therein a mat 12 the edge portions of which extend underneath the edge portions of the frame 10, as

is best shown in Fig. 2. The mat 12 is of any approved type, the mat shown being formed of rubber and being-provided with ribs 13 extending thereacross. The mat 12 is secured in position in the frame 10 by means of a second frame 14 which is also formed .of sheet metal, preferably "steeL T lie frame lal'is held in position beneath the mat 12 b v means of a plurality of rivets 15 formi-d integrally withthe plate 10, i n the construction shown such rivets extending through suitable openingsgin the frame 14, as is best shown at the right in Fig. 2. The frame Lt is likewise provided with anV upstanding portion formed integrally therewith. such upstanding portion being indicated b v the'numcral 16 (see Fig. 2). The upstanding .portions 11 and 16 in the construction shown are rigidly secured together' by a plurality of rivets 17, as'is vclearly shown in Figs.-1`and2- The upstandingr portions 11 and 16, se-

cured together bythe rivets 17, have a truss arrangement ivith're'spect' to the frames 10 and'let which are held in rigid position-with respect to eachother .by the rivets 15, this effect being secured by spacing the plate 10 and its upstanding portion 11 at a greater distance from the plate 14 and the upstandingr portion 1G at the angle between su'ch parts vthan at the remaining'portions, this effect being increased by arranging the angle between the plate 10 and its upstanding portion 11 of greater size thn the angle between the plate 14 and its npstanding pord tion 16. The construction is further reinforced and strengthened by providing downwardly turned fianges 18 along the front and the sides of the late 10. and backwardly turned flanges 19 Song the top and sides of the upstanding portion 11, such flanges 18 and 19 merging with each other at the angle betwcenthe parts 10 and 11. The plate 14 is likewise provided with upwardly directed flanges 20 along the front and sides, such flanges -20 merging with forwardly directed flanges 21 carried by the upstaiidiiig portion 16. The plate i's still furtherieinforced by. ribs 22and 23 pressed in the plate 10 along its front and rear edge portions, as is clearly shown in both Figs. 1 and 2.

By the provision Vof my construction as above described, the step plate is made very strong so as to bc capable of withstanding rough treatmentfor a. great length of time without serious danger of being broken. By the provision of the two plates holding the mat rigidly in position between them, I am sible a.dvantage.for packing and shiptpiig s 5 'mlllIL in unit form. By providing the rive formed integrally with the plate 10, the work of assembling the device isrkept to a mini- Refe'rrin now to `the form ofv device as illustrated in Figs. 3and 4, the construction -is substantially the same as that above described, and the parts are therefore indicated-by the same characters.l In .this construction, however, the upstanding portions 11 and 16 are formed at substantially the same angle with res'pect the'plates l() and 14,-the truss effect bein attained by reason of the greater length' o the sheet material in the bottom Aplate as compared with the.

length ofthe sheet material in the top plate at the angle,as is clearly showgi in Fig. 4.

In this construction, however, the upstanding portionsll and 16 are further strengthened against'angular movement with respect to the frames- I0 and 14 by means of reinforeements 2.4 pressed in the sheet metal of the parts 14 and 16 at. the angle between such parts at intervals along the rear edge ofthe device, the metal being pressed' back.

wardly and downwardlyfor providing an exaggerated truss 4arrangement at such points as compared with the normal -truss arrangement at the remaining points.

Coming now to the construction shown in F ig.5, a plate 25 is provided'correspoiiding to the plate 10 for holding a mat 26 in position upon a running board. A kick plate portion 27 is providedv corresponding with the portion 11 of theconstructions above described, tlie parts 25 and 27 being provided Awith flanges 28 and 29 which merge at the angle as above described. A reinforcing `member comprises a sheetmetal plate 30,

formed preferably of steel, secured by means of rivets 31 to .the iipstanding port-ion 27. The lower edge of the. plate 3() is turned forwardly beneath the plate 25 in the form of a flange 32, the forward edge of the flange 32 being in contact with a flange 33 about the opening provided in the plate 25 for sccuring the device upon the ruiming board. The flange 33 corresponds in a general way with the hollow rivets 15 of the constructions above described. By reason of the rigid bearing of the reinforcing device agaipst both the upstanding portion 27 through'the medium of the rivets 31 and the plate 25 effective truss arrangement is provided in this construction with respect to Abackward swinging movement of the kick plate 27, the flange 32 being held against forward movement with respect to the plate 25. This is particularly effective when the plate 25 is secured rigidly in position against the running board.

lVhile I prefer the construction as'illustrtedin my drawing and as above described, 'it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the-"details of construetion as Y shown except sfzf'ar as the Claims arezfso restricted bythe st'a'te 'of-.the- 'irit'si'rieetivl be evident that changes might well be made in the form and arrangement of the parts without departing from the ,spirit of my invention.

1. An automobile step plate, comprising in combination a metal frame having an upstanding portion along the rear edge, a mat secured in said frame, and a metal reinforcing member at the angle between said frame- :und said upstanding portion in spaced relation thereto and having bearings thereon for providing a ,truss arrangement therewith. Y

2. An automobile ste plate, comprising in combination a' metal rame'liaving an' upstandingv portion along the'rear edge, a mat.

secured in said frame, and a metalv reinforcing member at the angle between said frame and'said upstanding portion in spaced relation thereto and secured rigidly to the frame and to the upstanding portion adjacent to the angle at opposite sides thereof f or .providing a truss arrangement therewith.

3. vAn automobile step plate, comprising in combination a metal frame having an u pstanding-portion Aalong therear edge, amat secured in said frame, anda sheet metal strip at the angle between said 4frame and' said I upstanding portion in spaced relation thereto secured rigidly to one ofsaid parts -and-- having a rigid non-yielding bearing against the other of said parts. serving to provide a truss reinforcement against backward swinging movement of the upstanding portion with respect to 'the frame.

4. An automobile ste i plate, comprising in' combination a metal traine having an -upstanding portion along the rear edge, a'nat secured in said frame, a sheet met-al strip at thel angle between said frame and `said upstanding portion bent along an intermediate line to provide two portions ata different pared to the angle between the -franie and the upstanding portion, and means for securing both of the portions of said strip rigidly to said frame and said upstanding portion for providing a truss reinforcement between said parts. through the medium of the flanges 33, an Y 5. An automobile step plate, comprising at the angle between Said frame and said upstariding portion bent along an intermediate line to provide two portions at a differangle with lrespect to each other as coment angle with respect to each other as com- Y pared with the angle between mid frame and the upstanding portion, means for securing one of said strip portions rigidly to one of the angular portions of the frame member, and bearing means carried by the other angular portion of the frame member adapted by engagement with the other strip portion to provide a truss reinforcement against backward swinging movement of the upstanding portion with respect to the frame.

6. An automobile step late, comprising in combination a metal rame having an upstanding portion along the rear edge, a mat secured in said frame, a second metal frame underneath said first named frame and also having an upstanding portion along its rear edge, upwardly and forwardly direct'edoange portions along the sides of said second frame member, downwardly and backwardly directed -flange portions along the sides of said first named frame member,v

means for securing the horizontal frame portions rigidly together, and means for securing said upstanding portions rigidly together,the parts being in spaced relation at the angle between the frame and the up.- standing portion whereby a truss reinforcing effect is provided.

7. An automobile step plate, comprising in combination two superposed sheet metal frames, a mat extending at its edge portions between said two frames, means securing said frames together serving to hold said mat rigidly in position, and an upstanding kick plate member having a sheet metal poi` tion formed integrally with one of said frames and connected in a truss arrangement with the other frame.

8. An automobile step plate, comprising in combination a sheet metal frame having an upturned flange along its rear edge, a mat engaging the opening in'the frame with its edge portions underlying the frame, a sheet metal plate beneath said mat and secured to said frame at its front and rear edge portions serving to hold the mat rigidly in position and having an upturned flange in spaced relation to said first named Harige in rear thereof, and means connecting said flanges rigidly together above said frame whereby a truss reenforcing effect is provided.

9. An automobile step plate comprising in combination a top plate of soft metal provided with downwardly directed flanges about the greater portion of its periphery, a bottom plate of hard metal provided with upwardly directed fianges having a working fit within the flanges of said top plate, said plates being cut out for providing oppositely disposed openings theretlirougli,1neans for securing said plates together, and a mathaving its edges clamped between said plates in said openings.

10. An automobile step plate comprising in combination a top plate provided with adownwardly directed flangesextending substantially completely about the plate and having a large central opening therethrough, a. bottom plate provided with upwardly directed flanges extending substantially completely thereabout and having a, working fit within the fianges of said top plate, said bottom plate also being cut out to provide a central opening opposite the opening in the top plat-e, means for securing said plates together. and a mat having its edges clamped beti-ieen said plates in said openings and being heid by the plates in flattened condition.

OLIVER C. RITZ VVOLLER. 

